4x65w power compact on a 55g

[NickT]

I'm sure I'm going to need it eventualy.......
i rely don't want to do the 2ltr bottle c02 injector so can anyone tell me the best and Ezest setup to buy? i wold like something reliable and hitech...... i want automation and i font want to have to deal with testing and tweaking with the system everyday like when i was using 2ltr bottles. any suggestions ?

those lights should help my tank grow!

 

[kenneth_kpe]

ive been thingking about the same thing too, i tried looking around for surplus air tanks here and have been able to find em in junk shops and surplus places but im still having a hard time finding people whos gonna fill it with c02

but eventually you still have to test even with a system like this unless you buy those automated really expensive c02 kits

 

[NickT]

unless you buy those automated really expensive c02 kits

im lookin into somthing like that. i like to DIY some things... and i made a verry affective co2 defuser in my old tank but it defused WAYYY too much co2.... i left for 20 minuts and came back to a bunch of stresed out pale fish gasping at the surface...... im just afraid of that happening with my more expensive fish.

 

[enchanted]

First, you will have to have CO2 or you will have an Algae haven. That is the trade off.

Secondly, DIY will cost you about the same for Pressurized as a Pressurized system from say www.glass-gardens.com.

It isn't cheap and to be honest, unless you are ready to lay out a Few hundered you would probably be better to stay with DIY.

Pressurized CO2 not done right can be very deadly. I currently use DIY CO2 and have used on both a 55 Gallon and my 125 Gallon with no problem.

 

[NickT]

thanks enchanted . I'm going to rethink the co2 situation.. the last time i was fooling around with co2 i used a small water bottle cut in half and put the output of a 300gph power head in it hitting the sides so id sort of rolled the co2 bubble around in the defuser.... maybe i will just try it without the water pumping in....

hows your co2 defused?

 

[enchanted]

First, Gasping and being at the top is not usually a sign of CO2 posioning, but more a lack of oxygen. CO2 Posioning is usually shown by the fish being at the bottom of the tank.

I use a Inline Reactor with my canister that achieves 100% dissolution with two bottles.

On my 55 I used an airstone.

 

[NickT]

i had an air pump/stone in the tank as well..... cant too much co2 push out o2?

either way i think I'm going to setup the same thing in my current 55 and just monitor co2 levels unlike last time.... i defiantly don't want to blow myself up with a pressurized co2 system. so i guess 2ltr bottles it is.

 

[kenneth_kpe]

as far as i remember, c02 wont push 02 out of the water and yup c02 poisoning is a diff thing maybe the ph suddenly dropped bec of the introduction of c02 thats why your fishes were stressed out , if you use diffuse c02 properly and have a lot of plants, it should not be a big problem. Just make sure to keep the c02 rate constant you can use the bell method for diffusing the c02 provides a low constant diffusion rate IMO but somebody correct me if im wrong

btw my set up is a bottle of coke turned into a home brew c02 generator and for a reactor im using a small internal filter as source of water flow and a small plastic cup as a reactor with a couple of bioballs inside, so far its doing good

 

[enchanted]

You are not going to blow yourself up with Pressurized CO2. The most common problem with it is tanks tipping over and ruining regulators, but that doesn't happen often.

As soon as I have the funds available (after christmas) I'm switching to pressurized for the simple reason it creates a more stable amount.

The pale color could easily have been caused by a PH drop, the gasping I have no clue.

kenneth_kpe is right in the sense that CO2 does not push O2 out of the water. They are 2 different things.

And do not run an airstone while running CO2. That defeates the whole purpose because it will cause CO2 to be taken out of the water due to surface disturbance.